Since the earliest theories of economic development, economic thought has continuously evolved to incorporate the emerging challenges that shape the prosperity of nations. As the twenty-first century is increasingly defined by the urgency of climate change and the rapid acceleration of the global energy transition, energy justice has emerged as a strategic pillar of economic development. Grounded in equitable, affordable, and sustainable access to energy, it promotes industrialization, stimulates investment, reduces inequalities, and strengthens economic resilience to climate-related and geopolitical shocks. Yet, despite its vast renewable energy potential and abundant reserves of critical minerals essential to the global energy transition, Africa remains one of the world’s most energy-deprived regions (IEA, 2023). Inadequate access to reliable, affordable, and modern energy services continues to constrain industrial productivity, discourage investment, widen socio-economic inequalities, and slow structural transformation.
Beyond its economic consequences, energy deprivation also has important implications for peace and stability. Persistent deficiencies in essential public services, including electricity, water, fuel, and transport infrastructure, have become a growing source of social discontent. According to the Raleigh Report (2026), grievances related to public service delivery were the second most common trigger of riots across Africa, with 14.7% of protests escalating into violence, often through road blockades and confrontations driven by recurring power outages, fuel shortages, and inadequate service provision. At the same time, more than 905 million Africans still lack access to clean cooking technologies. As a result, millions of households continue to rely on polluting fuels such as firewood, charcoal, and kerosene, contributing to indoor air pollution that causes more than 700,000 premature deaths each year from pneumonia, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory illnesses, stroke, and lung cancer (ECA, 2025).
These persistent challenges underscore that expanding energy access, while essential, is not sufficient to ensure an inclusive and sustainable energy transition. Without addressing how the benefits, costs, and risks of energy systems are distributed across populations and territories, existing inequalities may be reinforced rather than reduced. It is within this context that the concept of energy justice has gained prominence as a comprehensive framework for assessing whether energy systems are equitable, inclusive, and socially sustainable. Through its focus on fair distribution of energy benefits and burdens, inclusive decision-making processes, and the recognition of vulnerable and marginalized communities, energy justice provides a critical lens through which Africa’s green transition can be designed and implemented (Heffron and McCauley, 2017; Jenkins et al., 2016).
However, achieving energy justice cannot rely solely on national policies. The transboundary nature of energy systems, the uneven distribution of renewable energy resources and critical minerals, and the wide disparities in infrastructure, financial capacity, and technological development make regional cooperation an essential pillar of Africa’s green transition. In this context, intra-African cooperation offers a strategic pathway to advance energy justice by strengthening cross-border electricity interconnections, harmonizing regulatory frameworks, mobilizing regional investment, facilitating technology transfer, and promoting knowledge sharing. Leveraging continental initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), African countries can accelerate universal access to clean and affordable energy while ensuring that the benefits of the green transition are distributed more equitably across countries and communities.
Several benefits can be derived from regional economic integration. Beyond the theoretical economic gains associated with increased trade, the free movement of people and capital, regional integration serves as a powerful driver of economic growth and political stability. For “small countries,” such as many in Africa, which individually have limited influence on the international stage, the benefits of integration can be even greater (Gnimassoun, 2019). As African countries face common challenges related to energy access, infrastructure deficits, climate change, and financing constraints, regional cooperation provides a framework for pooling resources, coordinating policies, and leveraging comparative advantages. Through integrated energy markets and regional value chains, it can accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, reduce energy costs, strengthen energy security, and ensure that the benefits of the green transition are shared more equitably across the continent. To advance a just and inclusive green transition, African policymakers should strengthen intra-African cooperation by accelerating the implementation of the African Single Electricity Market, investing in cross-border energy infrastructure, and harmonizing regional energy regulations. They should also leverage the AfCFTA to develop regional value chains for renewable energy technologies and critical minerals, while expanding innovative financing mechanisms and technology transfer. Embedding energy justice principles into regional energy policies will be essential to ensure that the benefits of the green transition are shared equitably across countries and communities. Finally, strengthening intra-African cooperation through integrated energy markets, coordinated investments, and regional value chains, supported by greater mobilization of public, private, and international climate finance, is essential to advance energy justice and accelerate Africa’s transition toward inclusive development.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Insight reflect the perspectives of the contributor and do not necessarily represent the official position of Institute for Peace and Security Studies.
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Contributed by Brice Kamguia(PhD) ARUA Research Fellow at IPSS |